annot in my heart forbear to think but that she secured, for her own
book-boudoir, one or two of the curious articles which the
commissioners often-times found in the libraries that they inspected:
and, amongst other volumes, how she could forbear pouncing upon "_A
great Pricksong Book of parchment_"--discovered in the library of All
Soul's College[328]--is absolutely beyond my wit to divine!

[Illustration]

[Footnote 325: Of this curious little devotional volume the
reader has already had some account (p. 119, ante); but if
he wishes to enlarge his knowledge of the same, let him
refer to vol. lx. pt. ii. and vol. lxi. pt. i. of the
_Gentleman's Magazine_. By the kindness of Mr. John Nichols,
I am enabled to present the bibliomaniacal virtuoso with a
fac-simile of the copper-plate inserted in the latter volume
(p. 321) of the authority last mentioned. It represents the
GOLDEN COVER, or binding, of this precious manuscript. Of
the Queen's attachment to works of this kind, the following
is a pretty strong proof: "In the Bodl. library, among the
MSS. in mus. num. 235, are the _Epistles of St. Paul, &c._,
printed in an old black letter in 12o. which was _Queen
Elizabeth's own book_, and her own hand writing appears at
the beginning, viz.: "August. I walke many times into the
pleasant fieldes of the Holy Scriptures, where I plucke up
the goodliesome herbes of sentences by pruning: eate them by
reading: chawe them by musing: and laie them up at length in
the hie seate of memorie by gathering them together: that so
having tasted their sweetenes I may the lesse perceave the
bitterness of this miserable life." The covering is done in
needle work by the Queen [then princess] herself, and
thereon are these sentences, viz. on one side, on the
borders; CELVM PATRIA: SCOPVS VITAE XPVS. CHRISTVS VIA.
CHRISTO VIVE. In the middle a heart, and round about it,
ELEVA COR SVRSVM IBI VBI E.C. [est Christus]. On the other
side, about the borders, BEATVS QVI DIVITIAS SCRIPTVRAE
LEGENS VERBA VERTIT IN OPERA. In the middle a star, and
round it, VICIT OMNIA PERTINAX VIRTVS with E.C., _i.e._ as I
take it, ELISABETHA CAPTIVA, or [provided it refer to
Virtus] ELISABETHAE CAPTIVAE, she being, then, when she worked
this covering, a prisoner, if I mistake not, at Woodstock."
_Tit. Liv.